Irish Tales at the Undercroft - A prelude to the Tain Bo Cuilagne

Thanks to all those who shared some Summer Lovin and a three minute tale at our May gathering and next month we will be joined by these two celtic lovelies....

Jim Kavanagh

Liam Carroll

On June 5th these two lusty Undercroft regulars, Liam Carroll and Jim Kavanagh, will be telling some of their favourite Irish tales:

Whose Bull Is It Anyway?

A prelude to The Tain Bo Cuilagne: the oldest tale in Europe, of mighty deeds & daring cattle raids in ancient Ireland, with talking eels, a thirsty corpse and a warrior Queen so shameless & dangerous you'll be needing a drink yourself before the tales even begun...

 Jim and Liam  have a common interest in the mythology of Ireland, and have put their heads together to present a selection from this vast body of fascinating archaic lore.  Written down by Irish monks as far back as the 700's, these tales are believed to originate from much older oral traditions, providing a glimpse into the society of Celtic warrior aristocracy which never came under the direct influence of Rome.  They crackle with a rich imagery & energetic magic from a world where the written word never took hold, and is almost totally beyond our modern sensibilities.  You'll definitely be needing a pint...

Jim and Liam will be telling an hour long set so there will still be time for tales from the floor. Be sure to come early and put your name down if you wish to tell, lest Jim have your guts for garters..

For more info about Liam visit his blog page here..

*Alas we have no details about Jim, so he will just have to remain an enigma...

Dave Tong - The Yarnsmith

Three minute tales & Summer Lovin in May

On May 1st we have tales from the floor - An open mic event where anyone and everyone can come and tell a tale.

The theme is 'Summer Lovin', but you can be as creative as you like when it comes to fitting a story to the theme. The more tenuous the better!

We'll start the night though with some three minute tales. Its something we tried a while back and it was good fun. A real skill in breaking a story down and getting to the nub of it in less than three minutes...

As per usual we meet at 7.30 for an 8.00pm start, so don't be late lest Jim has your guts for garters!

Carl Merry - Into the Shadowlands

At the next gathering on April 3rd we have another guest teller - Carl Merry telling:

'Into the Shadowlands'

Carl will be taking us on a journey to the margins that lie between the world we know and the “Otherworld” of the Fair Folk. Were it not for the wisdom of a woman, a lover who teaches an elf the meaning of love and a willing pupil, there could be no survival. Even then, in the last days when traditions are either forgotten or ignored the fairy host must ride once more or face extinction.


An excellent programme..... I liked the beautiful, gently sad mood, leavened with humour.
Cambridge Storytelling Club 

Carl is of Welsh and Irish decent, something that has flavoured his performances and given him an interest in the fairy folk! He is now based in Essex and is a founder member of the Essex Storytellers.  He has told all over the county and the rest of East Anglia both as a solo performer and as part of the Essex group.

Carl Merry

For more info on Carl visit his website here.. http://www.carltales.com/

As per usual we meet at 7.30 for an 8.00pm start, so don't be late lest Jim has your guts for garters! 

Su Squire tells - The Fool, the Weaver and the Heart of The Labyrinth

Thanks to all who joined us for our last session where we all enjoyed Marion Leeper's performance of 'The Kitchen Cat'. A subtle blend of humour, designer fairies, real life and true emotion. At our next gathering in March one of our regulars, Su Squire will be premiering her new performance:

The Fool, The Weaver & The Heart of the Labyrinth

A tale of love, loss and the extraordinary power of stories. In a far off land, a courageous fool embarks on a perilous journey to meet with a mysterious weaver of tales and find that which has been lost.

Su's performance is just one small part of a bigger project 'Chrysalis Tales' which aims to use storytelling and other related art forms for the exploration and expression of people's thoughts and feelings relating to death and bereavement in a way that is ultimately positive and life affirming. As Su says:

Possibly the simplest and most portable of art forms, storytelling seems a good starting point for the project. I believe that stories speak a language that touches a part of our selves that our everyday language cannot always reach - a language of symbols and archetypes that goes straight to the heart of the matter. In their own remarkable way stories connect us through time and space with every human being who has ever known or will one day know the pain and grief of loss, bringing comfort and reassurance whilst offering hope that there is, to coin a phrase, light at the end of the tunnel. At their most powerful, they remind us of how truly mysterious and wonderful life is.

There will also be some time set by for stories from the floor, so come prepared  and  Su was hoping that some of the regulars might share stories that deal with death and bereavement in some form or fashion.

To find out more about the project visit the Chrysalis tales Facebook Site here

And for more on Su Squire check out her biog here

As per useual we meet at 7.30 for an 8.00pm start, so don't be late lest Jim has your guts for garters! 

Coming up in 2013 - Marion Leeper 'The Kitchen Cat'

It's a new year at the Undercroft with any amount of guest tellers coming to share their tales with us…

On March 6th we have Su Squire, one of our regulars putting together a performance for us (More detail to come) On April 3rd we'll be joined by Carl Merry performing 'Into The Shadowlands' - A series of Irish Tales. Whilst on July 3rd it will be Dominic Kelly telling 'Crow' which "melts together folkltale & folklore, biography & myth".  In September after our summer break we will be joined by Ana Lines, also resident at Birmingham Storytelling Cafe and also possibly Tom Phillips who runs Good Impressions Storytelling Club in Hinkley. Also look out for performances from our regulars including Liam Carroll and Jim Kavanagh.

But prior to all of that we are joined by Marion Leeper of the Cambridge Storytellers telling:

The Kitchen Cat

'She couldn't remember who she was, but she knew that once she had been someone important...' Scraps of memory, legend, and black lace woven together to tell one woman's rags to riches story, La Gata Borralheira - the Kitchen Cat - will take you on a romp through the folktales and cocktail dresses of 1950s Europe.  Marion’s mix of traditional tales and family history is funny, moving, grotesque and tragic by turns.

Marion's is an hour long session, so there will still be time for stories from the floor. Anyone wishing to tell should let me know as spaces will be limited.

We hope to see many of you there (Weather permitting) at 7.30 for an 8.00 start, lest Jim have your guts for garters!

Dave Tong - The Yarnsmith
Artwork by Jim Kavanagh

Important News!

There is no gathering in January...
The next gathering will be Weds 6 February 2013   

In the meantime, New Year Best Wishes to tellers & listeners all, and we hope to see you in what may well be a chilly February.  There is no particular theme for the February gathering, so wrap up, keep warm & don't bring anything too long.. 

from Norwich Guildhall, circa 1450

Until then, here's a historic Norwich angel to enrich your lives...

The Gobbo

Winter 2012 - Sophie Snell and Irish Tales

On November 7th we have the fantastic Sophie Snell coming to the Undercroft and she'll be telling her 'Seven Deadly Sins':

Sophie Snell

“Bless me Father, for I have sinned!” A young girl hiding in the confessional overhears her neighbours’ confessions. As she listens with growing unease, stories unfold that should never be told…  At turns dark and comic, be prepared for thrills and spills on this rollicking ride through the Seven Deadly Sins!

"A very expressive performer…  Viscerally thrilling… intellectually satisfying.  Recommended."  

Stephanie Billen, Chairman - Buxton Festival Fringe, re  'Seven Deadly Sins' July 2010.

"To possess that charisma, that energy, that memory! Spellbinding and better than any film or TV... a beautiful piece... Fantastic evening - wonderful!" 

Amanda Bowman, BBC Radio Nottingham, SDS Notts Libraries StoryFest, March 2010.

  

Sophie is a leading light of the Derby Flying Donkeys and is a performance storyteller known for her warm, engaging and animated style of storytelling and a deliciously wicked sense of humour.  She has a wide repertoire of tales from around the globe, but a particular interest in the lesser known folk tales of the British Isles – quirky, fun, fantastical, tales that twist and turn and quickly hook and hold the audience - whether adult or children.  Sophie performs and leads workshops in schools, libraries, festivals, storytelling clubs, tourist and arts venues.  

 

I for one can recommend Sophie and I've never seen a storyteller who inhabits their stories quite like she does!  Dave Tonge - The Yarnsmith

For more info about Sophie visit her website: www.sophiesnell.co.uk

If that wasn't enough to give you palpitations, on December 5th two of our regulars, Jim Kavanagh and Liam Carroll will be telling some of their favourite Irish tales:

 
Liam Carroll

Jim Kavanagh*

Whose Bull Is It Anyway?

A prelude to The Tain Bo Cuilagne: the oldest tale in Europe, of mighty deeds & daring cattle raids in ancient Ireland, with talking eels, a thirsty corpse and a warrior Queen so shameless & dangerous you'll be needing a drink yourself before the tales even begun...

Jim and Liam  have a common interest in the mythology of Ireland, and have put their heads together to present a selection from this vast body of fascinating archaic lore.  Written down by Irish monks as far back as the 700's, these tales are believed to originate from much older oral traditions, providing a glimpse into the society of Celtic warrior aristocracy which never came under the direct influence of Rome.  They crackle with a rich imagery & energetic magic from a world where the written word never took hold, and is almost totally beyond our modern sensibilities.  You'll definitely be needing a pint...

Jim and Liam will be telling an hour long set so there will still be time for tales from the floor. Be sure to come early and put your name down if you wish to tell, lest Jim have your guts for garters..

For more info about Liam visit his blog page here..

*Alas we have no details about Jim, so he will just have to remain an enigma...

Dave Tong - The Yarnsmith